SUB: Holidays to be observed in Department of Posts for the year – 2019

Sir/Madam,
I am directed to forward herewith a copy of DOPT circular No. 12/2/2018-JCA-2 dated 11th July 2018 on Holidays to be observed in the Central Government Offices during the year 2019 for further necessary action at your end.

Yours sincerely,
(D.K. Tripathi)
Assistant Director General (Estt.)

F.No. 12/2/2018-JCA-2
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel and Training)
Establishment (JCA-2) Section

North Block, New Delhi
Dated the 11th July, 2018

Subject: Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the 2019- reg.

It has been decided that the holidays as specified in the Annexure-I to this O.M. will be observed in all the Administrative Offices of the Central Government located at Delhi/New Delhi during the year 2019. In addition, each employee will also be allowed to avail himself/herself of any two holidays to be chosen by him/her out of the list of Restricted Holidays in Annexure-II.

3.1 In addition to the above 14 Compulsory holidays mentioned in para 2, three holidays shall be decided from the list indicated below by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in the State Capitals, if necessary, in consultation with Coordination Committees at other places in the State. The final list applicable uniformly to all Central Government Offices within the concerned State shall be notified accordingly and no change can be carried out thereafter.

3.2 No substitute holiday should be allowed if any of the festival holidays initially declared subsequently happens to fall on a weekly off or any other non-working day or in the event of more than one festival falling on the same day.

4. The list of Restricted Holidays appended to this O.M. is meant for Central Government Offices located in Delhi / New Delhi. The Coordination Committees at the State Capitals may draw up separate list of Restricted Holidays keeping in view the occasions of local importance but the 9 occasions left over (indicated in para 3.1), after choosing the 3 variable holidays in para 3.1 above, are to be included in the list of restricted holidays.

5.1 For offices in Delhi / New Delhi, any change in the date of holidays in respect of Idu’l Fitr, Idu’l Zuha, Muharram and Id-e-Milad, if necessary, depending upon sighting of the Moon, would be declared by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions after ascertaining the position from the Govt. of NCT of Delhi (DCP, Special Branch, Delhi Police).

5.2 For offices outside Delhi / New Delhi, the Central Government Employees’ Welfare Coordination Committees at the State Capitals are authorised to change the date of holiday. If necessary, based on the decision of the concerned State Governments / Union Territories, in respect of Idu’l Fitr, Idu’l Zuha, Muharram and Id-e-Milad.

5.3 It may happen that the change of date of the above occasions has to be declared at a very short notice. In such a situation, announcement could be made through P.I.B/T.V./A.I.R./ Newspapers and the Heads of Department / Offices of the Central Government may take action according to such an announcement without waiting for a formal order, about the change of date.

6. In 2019, Diwali (Deepavali) falls on Sunday, October 27, 2019 (Kartika 05). In certain States, the practice is to celebrate the occasion a day in advance, i.e., on “Naraka Chaturdasi Day”. In view of this, there is no objection if holiday on account of Deepavali is observed on “Naraka Chaturdasi Day (in place of Deepavali Day) for the Central Government Offices in a State if in that State that day alone is declared as a compulsory holiday for Diwali for the offices of the State Government.

7. Central Government Organisations which include industrial, commercial and trading establishments would observe upto 16 holidays in a year including three national holidays viz. Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, as compulsory holidays. The remaining holidays / occasions may be determined by such establishments / organisations themselves for the year 2019, subject to para 3.2 above.

8. Union Territory Administrations shall decide the list of holidays in terms of instructions issued in this regard by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

9. In respect of Indian Missions abroad, the number of holidays may be notified in accordance with the instructions contained in this Department’s O.M. No.12/5/2002-JCA dated 17th December, 2002. In other words, they will have the option to select 12 (Twelve) holidays of their own only after including in the list three National Holidays and Budha Purnima, Janamashtami (Vaishnava), Diwali, Milad-un.Nabi or Id-e-Milad in the list of compulsory holidays falling on the day of weekly off.

10. In respect of Banks, the holidays shall be regulated in terms of the extant instructions issued by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance.

11. Hindi version will follow.

(Jugal Singh)
Deputy Secretary (JCA)
23092338

ANNEXURE-I

LIST OF HOLIDAYS DURING THE YEAR 2019 FOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT LOCATED AT DELHI / NEW DELHI

S.NO.

HOLIDAY

DATE

SAKA DATE

DAY

1940 SAKA ERA

1.

Republic Day

January 26

Magha 06

Saturday

2.

Maha Shivaratri

March 04

Phalguna 13

Monday

3.

Holi

March 21

Phalguna 30

Thursday

1940 SAKA ERA

4.

Mahavir Jayanti

April 17

Chaitra 27

Wednesday

5.

Good Friday

April 19

Chaitra 29

Friday

6.

Buddha Purnima

May 18

Vaisakha 28

Saturday

7.

Id-ul-Fitr

June 05

Jyaishtha 15

Wednesday

8.

Id-Uz-Zuha (Bakrid)

August 12

Sravana 21

Monday

9.

Independence Day

August 15

Sravana 24

Thursday

10.

Janmashtami

August 24

Bhadra 02

Saturday

11.

Muharram

September 10

Bhadra 19

Tuesday

12.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday

October 02

Asvina 10

Wednesday

13.

Dussehra

October 08

Asvina 16

Tuesday

14.

Diwali (Deepavali)

October 27

Kartika 05

Sunday

15.

Milad-un-Nabi or Id-e-Milad (Birthday
of Prophet Mohammad)

November 10

Kartika 19

Sunday

16.

Guru Nanak’s Birthday

November 12

Kartika 21

Tuesday

17.

Christmas Day

December 25

Pausha 04

Wednesday

ANNEXURE-I
LIST OF RESTRICTED HOLIDAYS DURING THE YEAR 2019 FOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT LOCATED AT DELHI / NEW DELHI